Superstars signed up by Beats By Dre including Neymar Jr., Bacary Sagna, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Luis Suárez, Mario Götze, and Robin van Persie will now have to rock their headphones in private away from cameras.
Esteban Israel of Reuters reports, “FIFA’s licensing agreement with rival electronics maker Sony Corp means players have to take [their Beats] off when they are in World Cup stadiums for official matches and media events,” she writes.
On the other hand, marketing experts believe Beats By Dre stand to benefit from the ban through the preceding publicity around the decision to outlaw them.
Marketing strategist Ellen Petry Leanse, a former Apple and Google executive, explained: “Indeed, what greater way to advertise for Beats than by branding it “forbidden”? Sony just gave one of its biggest competitors in the headphones market an outlaw edge. The only thing people love more than ridiculously expensive headphones are ridiculously expensive headphones banned by The Man.”
Reports suggest Sony have sent players their own brand of headphones but it seems a little too late judging by the massive impact of Beats By Dre’s marketing efforts.
The brand’s “The Game Before the Game” advert has been given the thumbs up by the public judging it one of the best World Cup-themed ads.